Beautiful
by probysgirl
Summary: Sam has some self confidence issues


Beautiful

**Author:** Proby'sgirl

**Summary: **Sam has some confidence issues

**Pairings:** Sam/Jack, Daniel/Janet

**References: **The First Commandment

**Warnings:** implied spousal beatings

**Disclaimer:** I don't own any part of this franchise and any views in this story are those of the writer and reflect nothing on the franchise.

Also, I don't own the song rights either they belong to Christina Augilera.

A/N I hope i got the rating right i wasn't sure so i went up on what it could have been.

She walked into the bar feeling incredibly self-conscious. They were having their third annual SGC dinner. It was Christmas in a couple of weeks. The tradition started after they had saved the world from Apophis' motherships. It was also an excuse for a Christmas party. Three years on it was the same thing, everyone goes, has the meal and then gets totally off their faces. Janet had convinced her to wear a strapless dress that they had seen in the mall a couple of weeks ago. No one but Janet knew of their existence, the terrible scars on her back. She hadn't even told her team, her family. Janet only knew because she was her doctor and had asked. The guys had probably never seen them and if they had they just ignored them. It had taken Janet three years to finally get Sam a top that shows her back off, she was ashamed. Sam had protested, what was the point of dressing up because she worked with these men. The two women entered the room together. The men around the door instantly picked up on the two women in short strappy dress'. Wolf whistles followed them into the room as they headed over to the bar to get a drink. They stood facing each other at the bar as Sam noticed Daniel's approach he signalled for her to be quiet and she saw Janet jump as a hand snaked around her waist and the blush that followed as Daniel whispered in her ear. Sam laughed at her friend's reaction.

"Sam you look gorgeous, if I wasn't taken I'd have a go." Sam blushed at his comment.

"You're just saying that."

"I'm not. Jack's gonna die when he sees you." Sam frowned at the comment, he was gonna be watching her all night, he'd notice.

"Sam, don't even think about it."

"What?"

"An hour." She dropped her head defeated, she knew she had been contemplating leaving. Daniel stood by watching the conversation unaware of the meaning behind it.

"So who wants a drink?" Daniel ordered their drinks and pointed to where Jack and Teal'c were sitting, self-consciously Sam led the way to the table. It was a good job she didn't turn around and see the look that passed between Daniel and Janet. Jack saw it though and he was damn well going to find out what it was about. He had looked at her back and then his face had creased in concern. He made Teal'c shift so that she had to squeeze past him to get into the seat. As she walked up to him, she realised she was going to have to shuffle past him, she briefly contemplated doing it facing him but she could knock things over. She'd have to show him her back. She drew in a deep breath as she squeezed past him. She felt his knees tense as she was level with him but she didn't stop until she got to the seat not wanting to see his reaction. When she turned he was in conversation with Janet who had sat down next to him. She didn't look impressed with him.

"What the fuck is that on Sam's back?" Jack could feel his anger rising.

"Jack."

"Seriously Janet, what's that about?" Daniel was just as intrigued. He couldn't believe that they'd never noticed them before.

"It's not my place to tell either of you what they are. It's Sam's place and I will not break patient doctor privilege by telling you."

"Ha so it happened at the SGC."

"No it didn't. Now drop it. It's taken me three years to get her to wear a backless top, dress anything. You hear me not a word."

"She was gonna leave."

"Yes but she promised me she'd stay for an hour." As Jack turned to say something to Sam she was already deep in conversation with someone across the table from her. Teal'c gave him a knowing look, he had noticed them before now but in that single look he was imploring Jack to not say anything. Jack just nodded at him.

"The place looks nice doesn't it?" She heard him whisper in her ear. She turned away from her conversation.

"Colonel?"

"I said the place looks nice, just like you. You look great. I like your dress." He felt her stiffen.

"Thank you sir. You look…" she thought about her word, she didn't think that hot or drop dead gorgeous would appropriate, she settled for "…good." He smiled at her. She could see he was dying to ask her. Sam just started hugging her chest feeling all the more self-conscious as he continued to talk to her. Teal'c joining the conversation occasionally so that she was caught totally off guard when he asked her a question.

"Care for this dance?"

"What?"

"Dance Carter. It involves some movement of feet but mostly just the rest of your body."

"I'm fine sir. I'm happy sitting here." In truth she didn't want to go onto the light covered dance floor where people could see her back.

"Oh come on Sam. It's just a dance."

"I said no colonel." She spat at him before standing up and almost knocking the table over before exiting past Teal'c. Shit he thought. He stood up but he lost sight of her on the way to the exit.

"Where's Sam?" Janet had just returned from the dance floor with Daniel in tow.

"I don't know. She just stormed off."

"What did you say to her?"

"Nothing. I asked her to dance."

"Christ Jack."

"What?"

"She has a self confidence problem and you were asking her to go to a crowded place with lights were people can see her back. You idiot." She stood up to go after her.

"No Janet. This is my fault, I'll go talk to her."

"I don't think that's a good idea. You're not the most tactful." He just growled at her and stalked in the direction that Sam had taken. He found her outside in the snowy night, she was shivering. She jumped as he placed his hand on the small of her back.

"Hey." She didn't turn around. "I'm sorry if I seemed pushy. I didn't mean to."

"She told you didn't she?"

"What?"

"About my back."

"No. She wouldn't and then she told me to drop it. I didn't even think when I asked you to dance but hey what's unusual about that." She finally turned around to see that her cheeks were tear stained. He pulled her into a hug, wrapping his jacket around her at the same time to keep her warm.

"You remember when we went after SG-9?"

"Hanson?" She nodded against his chest.

"I said that he liked control."

"I remember."

"That was how he kept control, he'd beat me into submission but did it so that no one knew, no external markings outside of my uniform." She could feel him shaking in their embrace and knew that he wasn't saying anything because he didn't trust himself to. That in itself made her love him more. She felt his arms loosen slightly as he leant back and wiped the tears from her face. He smiled at her and she knew that in his own way he was dealing with what she had just told him.

"You gonna come back inside?"

"I don't think I can." He looked at her for a minute. Then a grin appeared on his face.

"I think I may have an idea." He released her from the embrace, took off his jacket and placed it around her shoulders. She put her arms through the arms and he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards the parking lot. She looked at him questioningly but he just grinned before stopping in front of his truck. He opened the back door and leaned in bringing out a duffel bag and pulled out a white shirt.

"It's a bit creased but if you would like to lend it, it would complement the little black dress." There was a mischievous glint in his eye and she took the shirt from his out stretched hand. She leant over and kissed his cheek.

"Most guys run a mile when they see the scars. Thank you." She smiled at him, taking his jacket off and handing it back before putting the shirt on. She looked at him, he seemed to be contemplating saying something.

"What?"

"I was just thinking how beautiful you are."

"You're just saying that to make me feel better."

"If only I were." She looked at him and he shrugged.

"That was why I was contemplating saying it. I knew you'd say that. You've always been beautiful to me, just because you've got scars on your back from a previous relationship doesn't change that in my eyes." She had tears forming in her eyes as he said this. She flung her arms around his neck and he leaned down and kissed her lips lightly, she instantly relaxed and responded to his kiss. They broke apart.

"Come on. We'll be missing the buffet." She laughed as he grabbed her hand and they walked towards the hall again. As they were walking over the dance floor, he grabbed her hand again.

"How about that dance?" he whispered in her ear. She smiled and nodded her head. He led her onto the dance floor as the new song started. Beautiful by Christina Aguilera. They started swaying in the music.

_Don't look at me  
_

_Everyday is so wonderful, __Then suddenly, It's hard to breathe, Now and then I get insecure, From all the pain, I'm so ashamed.  
_

_I am beautiful, No matter what they say, Words can't bring me down, I am beautiful, In every single way, Yes words can't bring me down.  
Ohh no, So don't you bring me down today _

To all your friends you're delirious, You're so consumed, In all your doom, ooh, Trying hard to fill the emptiness, The pieces gone, Left the puzzle undone, Is that the way it is.

'Cause you are beautiful, No matter what they say, Words can't bring you down, Ohh no, 'Cause you are beautiful, In every single way, Yes words can't bring you down, Ohh no, So don't you bring me down today.

No matter what we do, (No matter what we do)  
No matter what we say (No matter what we say)  
We're the song inside the tune (Yeah, oh yeah)  
Full of beautiful mistakes  
And everywhere we go (And everywhere we go)  
The sun will always shine (The sun will always, always, shine)  
And tomorrow we might awake 

_On the other side  
_

"She knows what she's talking about." She just leaned into his embrace more as he tightened his arms. As the song finished he led her off the dance floor back to their seats. Daniel and Janet were talking in quiet whispers when Janet spotted Jack walking towards them. Janet jumped up

"Did you…?" Before she could finish the sentence Jack had moved to one side and they could see Sam. Daniel just raised his eyebrow as Relief flooded over Janet's face.

"Hey I can do tact when I want to!" Jack said in mock exasperation. "Oh and in future Jan, don't make Sam wear something she isn't comfortable in. Despite the fact she looks incredibly hot in it." Three mouths dropped open as they stared over his shoulder.

"Colonel?" He paled and spun around on the spot.

"General, sir." He wouldn't look the man in his eyes, he forced himself to look as he leant over and whispered in his ear. His expression changed from fear, to shock to grinning like a child.

"Merry Christmas sir." He nodded to his 2IC and turned to his CMO

"How is Cassandra settling in to school?"

"Er… She's loving it." She was confused at the conversation between two of the men in front of her. As Hammond spoke to her she saw Jack lean over and whisper something in Sam's ear that made her blush. Janet knew that Jack would look after Sam and help her deal with what Jonas did to her and apparently they had just been given the green light to be happy. As they all continued she noticed her best friend relax, she knew that she was in good hands. He would protect her and treat her with more respect and love than any man before him. As she smiled at the thought of her two best friends she felt a hand settle on her shoulder.

"Guess you and Danny aren't the only ones who get a happy ending this Christmas, Doc."

---------Fin--------


End file.
